1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the use of a plant extract with a proanthocyanidins content as therapeutic agent with radical scavenger effect. It also relates to the use of pharmaceutical compositions containing this extract as active ingredient.
The medicaments of the present invention are obtained by extracting raw plant materials complying with different criteria:
1. A proanthocyanidins content,
2. Easy and permanent raw material supplies at low cost,
3. Absence of natural or artificial toxic constituents.
The bark of conifers, in particular pine bark such as that of the maritime pine (Pinus maritima), forms a first class material in this respect. Other conifers (refer to Jack Masquelier and Pierre Claveau, Naturaliste Can., 1966, 93, 345-348), such as the Canadian spruce (Tsuga canadensis), and many other arborescent or herbaceous plant species, contain proanthocyanidins and may then be used as raw material, if the criteria mentioned are complied with (Bate-Smith, E.C., Biochem. J., 1954, 58, 122-126; Bate-Smith, E.C., Lerner, N.H., Biochem.J., 1954, 58, 126-132). It will be essentially a question hereafter of a pine bark extract, but this expression should be considered as covering "any plant extract with a proanthocyanidins content". This content will vary with the plant material used to obtain the extract.
2. Prior Art
The use of maritime pine bark (Pinus Maritima), as raw material for extracting medicaments is described in patents by the same inventor (French Pat. Nos. 1 427 100 and 4482 M and the corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 3,456,407, which is included in the present description by reference).
Using an extraction process described in these patents, from pine bark can be obtained extracts which are used therapeutically for their action in the vascular field. Such properties place these medicaments among the vitamin P factors whose effect is to increase the resistance of small blood vessels and lower their permeability, so that hemorrhagic phenomena an oedema due to vascular fragility form the major uses for the products coming from pine bark.